Lancaster ISD Presents its Inaugural My Brother’s Keeper Male Summit

This summit will be held at Paul Quinn College on February 18 and is designed as a series of sessions led by male leaders of the community, school district and clergy on various education, social, personal and professional development topics.

The Lancaster Independent School District will present its inaugural "My Brother’s Keeper Summit" on Wednesday, February 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Paul Quinn College located at 3837 Simpson Stuart Rd. in Dallas, Texas 75241. This event is the second session of the district’s Student Leadership Development Series designed to educate students in the areas of social excellence, self-empowerment and leadership development.

This summit is designed as a series of small breakout and whole group sessions led by male leaders of the community, school district and clergy on various topics including financial literacy, college and career readiness, family and domestic violence, respect, anger and situation management and dressing for success. There will be about nine sessions for approximately 275 Lancaster ISD male students in third to twelfth grades who currently are involved with the male leadership organizations on their specific campuses. During the summit, the students will have a chance to learn about and tour Paul Quinn College, Dallas’ only historically black college.

"When students participate they will gain valuable knowledge about manhood and character coupled with real life scenarios," Dr. Lamont Smith, Lancaster ISD Executive Director of Accountability and Student Services said. "We want our students to grow up and be ready to connect with society and illustrate their leadership skills to impact their community and the world."

According to Lancaster ISD Program Coordinator Gregory Primus, this event should make a lasting impact on the students.

"The students can expect to be educated, motivated, transformed and inspired," he said.

Smith further commented that the students will also connect with a group of young men and, together, they can participate in community service projects and, one day, truly positively impact their community.

"Our goal is to create building blocks that can be utilized to ensure that students are successful academically and socially," he said. "The participating students are attached to mentors who will show them the difference between right and wrong by modeling success and making right choices."

Lancaster ISD Summit Event Coordinator Angela Robinson looks at this event as an opportunity to give students essential life tools.

"Based on recent media and knowledge of our male student population, it is imperative that we give them knowledge that will help keep them safe, promote academic excellence, and instill within them that they have the power to choose their destiny," she said.

Smith, Primus and Robinson said that they felt a special connection to this event and want the same for the summit participants.

"It’s my duty to serve our students and prepare them for the future by planning a summit that would give them the additional tools to enhance their opportunity to be citizens who add value to our society," Robinson said.

Primus said he feels like he is not just aiding in the preparation of future success stories, but is also paying it forward.

"I’m engaged because giving back is the return on the investment that my mentors deposited in my life as a youngster," he said.

Dr. Smith agrees and said that when he reflects on his childhood, he can identify male influences who helped to shape his life.

"There have been some amazing men in my life who have guided me along the way. My father, grandfather and coaches were there," he said. "However, so many young men do not have the same kind of support system that I had. Hopefully, these boys will grow up and ensure that their children have similar opportunities."

This summit is designed as one of many opportunities for growth and Dr. Smith expressed his future hopes for the students who are participating.

"Hopefully, one day they will transition from mentee to mentor—giving back to another group of boys and possibly starting their additional clubs that will direct young men in the right direction," he said.

As a district, Lancaster ISD is in its fifth year of the More Than a Diploma initiative designed to ensure that students graduate with access and opportunities to create self-sustaining success in a future society. During the last four years, the district has maintained the highest graduate rate amongst the Best Southwest member cities and had more than 95% of our seniors graduate with college acceptance letters, solid career paths and/or certifications or a letter of military commission. This series initiative is an extension of developing the student to attain sustainable success.

The Lancaster ISD My Brother’s Keepers organization is a partnership of the National MBK Challenge and an integrated part of The Student Leadership Development Series (SLDS) designed to be an educational bridge to enlighten students, parents and community on various issues.

For more information on this summit and other district male initiative programming, please contact 972-218-1400 or email info@lancasterisd.org.

The Lancaster Public Schools serve more than 6,000 pre-kindergarten through grade 12 students in 11 schools. The mission of the Lancaster Independent School District, a leader in providing innovative, quality programs, is to educate every student with the knowledge; skills; and principles to succeed and contribute in a competitive and technologically advancing world by providing rigorous and engaging learning opportunities that promote diversity; create an environment of integrity and respect; and establish a commitment to continued improvement in partnership with families and community.